ARKit has been the centerpiece of Apple's latest iPhone 8 smartphone push, and it's seen as being a precursor to a pair of Apple AR glasses. However, even if the wearable is in development, it may be some time until we see them outside of an Apple development center, if comments by CEO Tim Cook are indicative.
Speaking to The Independent, the Apple boss sang the praises of augmented reality, but was unwilling to commit to any wearable developments.
“There are rumours and stuff about companies working on those – we obviously don’t talk about what we’re working on,” he said. However, Cook seemed to suggest that it was technological limitations, not a lack of desire to bring a product to market, that was holding back development.
"Today I can tell you the technology itself doesn’t exist to do that in a quality way. The display technology required, as well as putting enough stuff around your face – there’s huge challenges with that," he said.
“The field of view, the quality of the display itself, it’s not there yet.”
Best, not first
When entering a new product space it's more about being best, rather than first for Apple, according to Cook, shipping products only if it can do it "in a quality way."
“We don’t give a rat’s about being first, we want to be the best, and give people a great experience,” said Cook.
Despite Cook's comments, there is plenty of evidence to suggest Apple AR glasses are in the works. Perhaps when the dust settles around the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 deals are floundering with consumers and the AR development community is well embedded, Apple will show its AR wearable hand.
For the time being, we'll have to keep twiddling with our touchscreens, rather than our spectacle frames.
